Here, Today
by Damn-Right-I-Am
Summary: Sakura contemplates the evolution of her relationship with Naruto. They have come so far just to be here, today. This story has no romantic NaruSaku, only friendship.


**Hey, I'm back again. Just so you know, this story isn't a NaruSaku. I love both of these characters but I can't imagine them together. They are more like brother and sister.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any characters in this anime.**

**Enjoy!**

Here, Today

She had known him all her life, but never before had she _known _him. Whenever she looked at him through her twelve-year-old Sasuke-adoring eyes, all she saw was a loser, a boy not worth talking to who stood in her way when she wanted to sit next to her beloved _Sasuke-kun _and who had the audacity to kiss said beloved boy.

She hated him, considered him worse than the scum under her new shinobi sandals.

"Team Seven… Uchiha Sasuke… Haruno Sakura…"

An overly happy 'yay' escaped her mouth as she stood up.

"… and Uzumaki Naruto."

As she fell beck into her seat, completely depressed, she heard an overly happy 'yay' in the seat next to her.

Oh, did she loathe the idiot. She couldn't help wondering why God was punishing her like that.

* * *

"… And my dream is to become Hokage…" Naruto continued to talk his idiocies.

'_Hokage pshhh! As if!'_ Sakura thought. That idiot wouldn't become Hokage. Just look him! To be a Hokage you need to be smart and strong, two things he seriously lacked.

She looked at him like he was the biggest idiot on earth, which she strongly believed he was.

As her turn to talk about herself, she didn't even realize that she sounded even more pathetic than the blonde. She could barely form a phrase. But she took no notice and instead focused her attention on the brooding boy next to her.

And when _Sasuke-kun_ started talking about himself all she could do was marvel at how incredible he was, while the two other males noticed with worry the darkness that emanated from Sasuke.

She took no notice of anything.

* * *

She stared with horror as Sasuke fell to the ground in pain. She was incapable of doing anything but cry as the monster came closer and closer to them, ready to strike.

'_Help! Anyone!'_

And help came in the most ridiculous orange outfit. Naruto.

Sakura could safely declare that never had she been so happy to see Naruto. She started regretting the way she treated him.

She started changing under the influence of his courage, his idiocy and his faith.

* * *

She changed. When she started appreciating Naruto, she also started noticing small things about Sasuke, namely his imperfections. In the long run that only made her love him, really love him.

And she understood that her boys shared a bond stronger than the one she had with Sasuke.

That's why, when she woke up on that cold bench, it was Naruto that she asked to bring Sasuke back. Because she knew that if someone could do it, it was Naruto.

And when he came back hurt, half dead. She promised him that she'll help him do it, that she won't leave the task to him alone.

* * *

The years Naruto spent training away felt empty. The world felt gray without him in it. He was Konoha's ray of sunshine.

She trained in hopes of being able to help him bring Sasuke back when he'd come back.

And suddenly, he was back. All the pain, the helplessness, the desperation vanished at the sight of his taller form in his ridiculous orange outfit. That goofy grin brought everything back; hope was once again there.

She had missed him.

* * *

Tsunade must have felt the hope she felt too, because their first mission was one of the highest importances: saving Gaara, the Kazekage, from the Akatsuki.

She wasn't surprised by the reaction Naruto had at seeing Gaara's corpse with that Ino look-alike Akatsuki sitting on him. She felt it too, the rage, his rage.

He had so much influence on her and she hardly noticed, but she wouldn't have cared anyway.

At that moment her only thought coincided with his, like so many times that were to come, and that was: save Gaara, our friend.

* * *

Coming out of the tunnel, she saw Sai, the emotionally retarded teammate. She took him by the collar ready to strike him.

"Sakura"

She froze, and then slowly turned. Before her eyes stood her long lost love. His blasé expression provoked a pang in her chest. Nothing. Nothing! There was hardly any recognition in his cold eyes.

She felt all hope leave her body. How could Sasuke forget her, them, Team Seven after all they've been through?

A thud really close caught everyone's attention. Naruto came out of the tunnel, eyes wide. He got more of a reaction from Sasuke than her.

She felt all hope come rushing back. Naruto was there; they could save Sasuke. Naruto's determination and faith brought back her courage.

And even after they had failed to bring Sasuke back, she knew that this was not the end; even when they missed him by a few minutes after his fight with Itachi. No, the end would never come, not even if Naruto died (which wouldn't happen) because Naruto brought hope to the world and he wouldn't be forgotten. Ever.

* * *

She contemplated their history together as she got ready for the war. In this war everyone fought to protect this boy, no, this man that most of them didn't even know.

'_Only Naruto could get the world to do that' _she thought amused.

She was ready to die for him, because she knew that with him, there would still be hope for everything and anything.

* * *

Sakura Haruno used to hate Uzumaki Naruto, there is no doubt about it.

And from that hate she passed to a sisterly love for him. The process was so subtle that she never noticed any real change, and yet everything changed. He was the one she counted on to save everyone, to bring Sasuke back to them, to her.

And she was ready to die so that he could live and make his dream come true. Here, today, she was ready to face everything and anything, only because of him. They grew up together, she grew up because of him.

Sakura Haruno was ready to die to protect Uzumaki Naruto, there is no doubt about it.

They have come so far just to be here, today.


End file.
